The latest in ultrasound technology

WHEN most people think of ultrasound scans it is likely that they picture a fuzzy, black and white 2D image that only makes sense once a medically-trained professional does some serious explaining.

If this is how you imagine your ultrasound will look then it is understandable that you would think it’s pretty difficult to do any major bonding with your baby until it is born. After all, it’s hard to bond with someone when the only image you have of them is something that wouldn’t look out of place in a modern art gallery.

Ultrasound scans have, however, improved massively in recent years. It is now possible to get high-quality 2D, 3D and even 4D images of your unborn child, meaning that you are now able to bond with your baby in a way that wasn’t possible 10 or 15 years ago.

It is common for parents, especially fathers, to feel as though they are unable to bond in any meaningful way with their child until it is born. Part of this is to do with not being able to visualise what the baby looks like and the way in which it is changing and growing as the weeks progress. Modern ultrasound technology can change this.

Of course, scans not only provide a way for parents to see what their child looks like. They are also important medical procedures in their own right and can give great peace of mind to parents-to-be; it is very comforting to know that your baby is fully healthy and developing normally.

There are now a range of scans available, some of which provide images that you would just not have thought possible. Ultrasound scans can be divided into 2D and 3D/4D types. 2D scans are the more traditional option and can be used for a number of purposes, including the following:

• Determining the age of your baby and confirming single or multiple pregnancies. This type of scan can be carried out between eight and 13 weeks after conceiving.

• Testing for Downs Syndrome (Nuchal scan) and confirming the health of the foetus. This scan can be carried out from 11 to around 13 weeks' gestation.

• General reassurance: this is a general scan that can be carried out at any stage of pregnancy and provides information on the health of the foetus and the placental position.

• Estimating the weight of the foetus and its general measurement.

• Determining the gender of the baby.

Modern scanning technology is around 90 per cent accurate when used to determine the sex of your baby. A gender scan can be carried out from 16 to 36 weeks gestation, however, to capture the perfect image of your baby it is best to have it done before 22 weeks, as after this point the baby simply becomes too big. Gender scans also, of course, provide an opportunity to check on the health of the foetus and its gestation age.

Thanks to advances in ultrasound technology these are no longer the only scanning options available. As mentioned previously, it is now possible to get 3D and 4D scans of your baby. In this case, 4D refers to real-time moving 3D images of your baby. These amazing images can provide a real opportunity to start bonding with your baby. Indeed, there is a large amount of evidence to suggest that 3D ultrasound can improve maternal-foetal bonding.

The level of detail that these 3D scans can capture is breathtaking for any expectant parent. In addition to giving you a unique view into the very beginning of your child’s life, these images also serve as treasured mementos of a very special time in your life. It is generally agreed by professionals that the best 3D images are captured between 26 and 30 weeks into the pregnancy.

There are many clinics that provide ultrasound scanning services that operate alongside the NHS. With increasing pressure on the health service, and growing budget cuts, less time is spent helping parents bond with their unborn children. Private clinics attempt to redress this and aim to help parents experience pregnancy in a new way.

In terms of 3D ultrasound scans and 2D varieties, including gender scans London has a number of clinics from which parents-to-be can choose. Many of these also offer antenatal classes alongside their scanning facilities in order to really help mothers and fathers understand and enjoy pregnancy and prepare for the birth of their child.